in a manner of speaking (omit)

When a sentence has the subject "the students," the verb must be plural: use are, not is. That error is common but easy to fix once you spot the subject and match its number to the verb.

Below you'll find a short rule, clear examples for work, school, and casual contexts, quick rewrites you can paste in, a memory trick, and a short FAQ.

Quick answer

Use are with the plural subject students: "The students are ..." is correct; "The students is ..." is incorrect.

• Students = plural → verb must be plural (are).
• Use is with singular subjects: "The student is" or "Every student is."
• If unsure, identify the head noun of the subject and match number: singular → is; plural → are.

Is "The students is" ever correct?

No. "Students" is plural and requires a plural verb. If you mean one person, write "the student is."

Occasionally writers confuse nearby words (each, every, the class) with the main subject. That can make "is" look tempting, but count the noun that actually controls the verb.

• If the sentence begins with a phrase like "Each of the students," the main subject is singular: "Each of the students is..."
• If the subject is clearly plural-"the students," "students in the class"-use "are."

Why writers make this mistake

Most slips come from judging by sound or from intervening words that distract from the head noun. Rushing and not rereading also cause errors.

• Sound-based guessing (what feels natural when spoken)
• Intervening modifiers that separate subject and verb
• Editing quickly without checking subject-verb agreement

Try your own sentence

Test the whole sentence rather than the isolated phrase. Place the subject next to the verb if the sentence feels tangled.

Real usage: work, school, casual

Seeing correct forms in context makes the rule stick. Below are realistic wrong/right pairs you can copy and adapt.

• Work - Wrong: The students is expected to finish the review by Friday.
  Right: The students are expected to finish the review by Friday.
• Work - Wrong: The students is joining the call at 3 p.m.
  Right: The students are joining the call at 3 p.m.
• Work - Wrong: The students is assigned to the new pilot project.
  Right: The students are assigned to the new pilot project.
• School - Wrong: The students is going on a field trip next week.
  Right: The students are going on a field trip next week.
• School - Wrong: The students is prepared for the final exam.
  Right: The students are prepared for the final exam.
• School - Wrong: The students is turning in their essays tomorrow.
  Right: The students are turning in their essays tomorrow.
• Casual - Wrong: The students is meeting at the café later.
  Right: The students are meeting at the café later.
• Casual - Wrong: The students is coming over to help with the move.
  Right: The students are coming over to help with the move.
• Casual - Wrong: The students is taking the bus together.
  Right: The students are taking the bus together.

Wrong vs right examples you can copy

Short pairs highlight the fix quickly. Replace the wrong sentence with the right one or use the rewrites below.

• Wrong: The students is excited about the project.
  Right: The students are excited about the project.
• Wrong: Is The students is listed on the attendance sheet?
  Right: Is the students are listed on the attendance sheet? - Correction: Are the students listed on the attendance sheet?
• Wrong: The students is available after class.
  Right: The students are available after class.
• Wrong: The students is the focus of our study.
  Right: The students are the focus of our study.
• Wrong: The students is responsible for cleanup.
  Right: The students are responsible for cleanup.
• Wrong: The students is split into three groups.
  Right: The students are split into three groups.

How to fix your own sentence

Fixing the error often requires only a brief check of the subject and verb. Sometimes a rewrite improves clarity beyond simply swapping is for are.

• Step 1: Find the main subject (ignore intervening phrases).
• Step 2: Decide whether that subject is singular or plural.
• Step 3: Use the matching verb and reread for natural flow.

• Original: This plan is The students is if everyone stays late. Quick fix: This plan is workable if the students are willing to stay late. (rewritten for clarity)
• Original: The assignment feels The students is now. Quick fix: The assignment feels easier now that the students are collaborating. (adds clarity and context)
• Original: Is that The students is this afternoon? Quick fix: Are the students meeting this afternoon? (corrects question form)

A simple memory trick

Link the correct verb to the meaning: picture multiple people, not a single person. If you can imagine more than one student, use are.

• Train your eye by scanning real writing for the correct form.
• Search your documents for "The students is" and fix all matches in one pass.
• When writing fast, pause and read the subject+verb out loud: "the students are." The sound helps lock in the plural verb.

Similar mistakes to watch for

Fixing one agreement error often reveals nearby problems. Watch for these related issues.

• Intervening phrases that separate subject and verb (e.g., "as well as," "along with")
• Collective nouns (class, team) that can take is or are depending on meaning
• Pronoun agreement (each student → his or her, or use they for modern inclusive style)
• Confusing singular determiners (each, every) with plural nouns

FAQ

Is "The students is" ever correct?

No. "Students" is plural and needs the plural verb "are." Use "the student is" for a single person or recast the sentence if you mean individuals (e.g., "Each student is").

Why do writers say "The students is" by mistake?

Common causes include speech patterns, intervening modifiers that distract from the main noun, and writing quickly without checking subject-verb agreement.

How do I fix long sentences with many clauses?

Locate the main subject and bring it next to the verb if the sentence feels tangled: "The students are ..." or rewrite with a clearer subject such as "Our students are..."

What about collective nouns like "the class" or "the team"?

Collective nouns may take "is" when you mean the group as a single unit and "are" when you emphasize individual members. "Students" is always plural and therefore takes "are."

Are contractions (They're) okay when referring to students?

Yes in informal contexts. For formal reports or official notices, use the full form ("the students are") for a more formal tone.

Quick check before you send

Underline the subject, ask "singular or plural?", and swap in is/are. A 30-second check catches most slips. For extra confidence, paste one or two sentences into a grammar tool or ask a colleague to glance over the paragraph.